Page 38 of It Will Always Be You
Looking past him, I take in his brothers. The younger one, a kid with bleach blond hair, looks like a cocky little shit on the surface, but if his constant shuffling and fidgeting is anything to go by, he’s seconds away from shitting himself. Good. A healthy dose of fear will keep him in line. Beside him must be Aidan, the middle brother. He’s wisely keeping his gaze steady on me, showing no sign of fear, but the way his chin is dipped conveys respect. Looking over the three of them, I weigh them up.
When it comes to protecting my daughter, I can’t afford to cut corners. The time for outsourcing her protection has come to an end. It just doesn’t make sense anymore, not when the threats she needs protecting from are deep rooted in this life. Outsiders are woefully underprepared, uneducated on the risks and threats out there. Using some of my own guys takes away that risk factor, but in its place, it increases the chances of questions and suspicions. The epitome of a rock and a hard place.
“I’ve a job for you three. Discretion is a must.” I raise my eyebrow, and at their confused nods, continue. “It’s a guard position, but your charge won’t and can’t know you’re on her tail. Neither can anyone else. If you breathe one word about it to anyone, it’ll be the last thing you do, understand?”
“We can do discreet,” Liam reassures me with a firm nod.
“Good. Show me you can be trusted, and maybe we can talk about a more permanent promotion. Don’t worry about explaining things to Jack. I’ll handle telling him,” I reassure them, indicating for themto follow me through the dark living room to my office. Flicking the light on, I make my way to my desk, perching against the front of it as I watch them file in. The differences between the three of them couldn’t be more obvious: whereas Liam is clearly shut off and just here to do a job, Cole is practically a kid in a candy shop, taking everything in with wide eyes. Aidan rounds the trio out with untrusting eyes that haven’t left me for a second.
“Your charge is a twenty-year-old female. She currently works for O’Neill’s and lives in a rundown flat with her boyfriend. I need you three to keep an eye on her, tail her without her knowing. If any threats appear, handle them. Give me daily reports. That kind of thing,” I inform them, watching as confusion darts across their faces and they exchange a look.
Clearing his throat, Liam answers for them. “Consider it done.”
With that, I give them the dossier I have on Cora with strict instructions not to repeat or share this with anyone. They’re bound to have their suspicions about why a bartender at O’Neill’s warrants this kind of protection, but, wisely, they keep their questions to themselves. Placing my trust in these three to guard the single most important person to me is a hard pill to swallow, but needs must be met. And right now, I need to be able to hunt for answers without worrying about her safety. The time for her to flounder on her own is fast running out, and the sooner I can bring her home where she should always have been, the better.
Chapter 35
1,825 days in captivity
At some point in our lives, we’re all afraid to die. We worry about what comes next. We worry about leaving our loved ones behind and wonder, will it hurt? Will it be quick? How will it happen? It’s human instinct to have those worries, those questions. But what’s not so normal is to long for it to hurry up.
If he’d just kill me already, it wouldn’t hurt so much.
Please, someone put me out of my misery.
Things I never thought I would long for, but time is a cruel mistress, and as days stretched into months with no signs of an escape, the hope I clung to steadily got smaller and smaller until it’s just a distant glimmer now. Paying close attention to Kyle’s phone calls did little more than fill my head with more questions—questions I’m not sure if I want to know the answers to. Maybe, in this instance, ignorance is bliss.
“Rise and shine, 103,” Kyle greets as he unshackles me. The feeling of his grimy hands on my skin has me flinching back into the mattress, only to freeze when his grip on my ankles tightens to the point of pain.
Stupid. You know better.
“Enough. We have a very special guest coming today, so if I were you, I’d behave.” The unspoken threat hangs in the air between us. If I don’t do as he says, he’ll ensure my life isn’t worth living. Jokes on him. My life isalreadynot worth living. I’ve already lost my freedom, my daughter, and the love of my life. He’s made sure I don’t even have my dignity. What more do I possibly have to lose?
“Fuck you,” I spit, unable to hold myself back a moment longer. For a brief second, satisfaction curls in my gut, only to be snuffed out a moment later when he lashes out. His fist connects with my cheekbone, and blinding pain races through me as my vision goes hazy.
“Ungrateful whore. After everything I’ve done for you, this is how you repay me? Just you wait. I’ll give you something to curse me for.” He keeps up a steady strain of bullshit as he drags me through the house, shoving me to my knees on the living room floor and wrapping his belt around my wrists and ankles. Once I’m hogtied, he crouches in front of me.
Gripping my chin, he forces me to meet his gaze. “Today was supposed to be a treat for you, but you had to go and piss me off. This is your fault, whore. Remember that.” Spitting on my face, he watches it drip down my cheek with a smirk before rising to his feet. As he disappears from my line of vision, I try to calm my racing heart.
Panicking won’t do me any good. Panicking won’t get me out of here and back to my baby girl. Panicking won’t change my fate, but maybe I still can.
With resolve sinking into my bones, I force myself not to flinch as the purr of an engine gets closer. As the door opens and booming laughter washes over me, I brace myself for whatever fresh hell is coming my way. I don’t have to wait long to find out. A shocked gasp wrenches my eyes from the floor, only to feel my heart lodge itself into my throat.
Blood-stained curls. Glassy blue eyes wide with horror. Features so similar, it’s like looking in a mirror. A collar around her throat, theleash tightly held by the monster at her side.
“Helen?”
“Freya?”
God, please, no. It can’t be.
I can only watch in horror as she stumbles a half step towards me, only to be yanked back. The flash of pain on her face has me wanting to tear that damn thing off her neck. Before I can move an inch, my hair is wound around Kyle’s fist. Yanking my head back, he glares down at me. His expression promises a world of pain if I so much asthinkabout moving, and while every instinct I have is screaming a giant “fuck you” at him, it’s not just my fate that rests in the balance anymore.
“What do you think of your surprise, pet?” he taunts. When all I do is glare back at him, he lets out a dark chuckle before turning his attention to the man at Freya’s side.
“You’ll have to excuse my pet. She’s still got a bit of fight left in her.”
“Impressive. It’s been, what, four years? Mine crumbled about a year in.”
